


Some Risks Are Worth Taking

by gambitsgeekyprincess



Category: Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Eventual Fluff, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Past Child Abuse, Songfic, but it isn't much, love sick Daryl
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-02
Updated: 2014-05-02
Packaged: 2018-01-21 08:43:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,592
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1544687
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gambitsgeekyprincess/pseuds/gambitsgeekyprincess
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Love can be the greatest of blessings or the worst possible curse</p>
            </blockquote>





	Some Risks Are Worth Taking

**Author's Note:**

> fic based off the song " sleeping with a friend " by- neon trees for dummesmadchen82 on tumblr. i hope you like it.

Things had gotten so good since they moved into the prison. They had a place to call home, they all had jobs to do and everyone helped out. Carol was an expert at helping out the kids and Daryl couldn't help but think the kids helped Carol remember Sophia without crying. Glenn and Maggie were as good as married and even Daryl had to admit it was a blessing to find love in a world like this.

The best thing however, had to be the fact that after months of heartache Rick was finally beginning to look sane again. It had started slowly with lots of back slides whenever Carl and he would fight, but finally the deputy had begun to smile again. As wonderful as it was Rick's smile had been the start of all Daryl's problems.

They'd become friends, brothers, after all their time together so it was no surprise that Daryl was the viewer of Rick's first real smile since he'd discovered Lori was pregnant. They had been out in the tiny makeshift garden when it happened. Daryl had went to bring Rick in to grab a bite of something since the other man often forgot to eat when he got lost in his own mind. Daryl had just called out Rick's name when he'd managed to snag his boot in a nearby plant root and ended up face first on the ground.

He was cursing like a sailor when an unfamiliar yet angelic sound met his ears. Looking up Daryl had felt like all the air had left his body like that time Merle had punched him in the gut. Rick was doubled over in the dirt hands around his mid-section as he laughed so hard tears rimmed his eyes. Daryl had soon followed with a fit of quiet chuckles of his own.

That had started a very unfortunate set of events in Daryl's mind. Soon Daryl found himself bending over backwards more than usual to make Rick laugh or even just smile. At first he thought it was just friendly concern, he'd never had any friends really and wasn't sure what it felt like. 

One day they're out on a run when a female walker with long brown hair sneaks up on them. Rick takes one look at the thing and freezes. Daryl knows what is going on the minute he sees Rick's lips move to from Lori's name. Daryl has just enough time to think the walker does resemble Rick's late wife before he realizes its way to close to Rick who is just staring his possible death in the face without any fight. Daryl's not sure he can make it in time, knows that by trying to save Rick he may lose his own life.

He's there in what is only a few seconds but felt like years, his cross bow is over by their bags of loot and by time he pulls Rick's gun out of the other man's holster the walker is on him. He makes the only decision he has left since he can't turn around without breaking his own neck in the walker's surprisingly strong grip. He points the gun over his left shoulder, way too close to his ear, and fires.

The walker's arms fall limp and Daryl's ears ring as he throws the now silent corpse off. Rick who finally snaps out of his trance and cups Daryl's face in his hands and the archer can see concern and apology in his eyes. He should be furious, he should be kicking Rick's ass for almost getting them killed. He should be concerned that he threw himself between Rick and the walker without knowing if he would be able to act in time but instead all he feels is relief and gratitude because Rick is alive and well.

Daryl shrugs Rick's hands off and convinces the man he's fine and that he understood what Rick was going through. When he is finally able to get Rick to stop shaking they head back to the prison. Rick calms down a lot more quickly when they're with their rag-tag family. Daryl is sure to make sure Rick is better before heading to his own cell and having a breakdown of his own.

That feeling of relief and gratitude, that feeling of willing to die for another person, Daryl knew that feeling. It was a feeling he'd only felt twice in his life. A feeling his ma had described as the greatest of blessings and the most horrible curses, love. He had somehow tripped up over his own feet and fallen ass over head in love with Rick Grimes. 

He'd been so careful before, careful not to love anyone other than his fuck-head of a brother and his angel of a mother. He hadn't wanted to doom somebody to a fate with his family. His ma was a saint and the nicest person Daryl had ever known but his father was an alcoholic bitch that beat all of them on a regular basis. Even if he had fallen in love and left his fuck up of a family behind he wouldn't have been able to explain all the scars and bruises. 

Loving in the world before had been dangerous, now it was downright terrifying. This new world was almost impossible to survive in alone. Daryl couldn't believe after all that has happened, the universe could still find time to beat down a Dixon.

Days go by and then months pass, the more time the harder it becomes to hide how he feels about the ex-cop. Rick has almost fully recovered from his mental break down. He smiles at everyone and has taken back up the title of leader with Daryl as his right hand man. Daryl learns to spend his time with Rick half on guard. Sometimes Rick will give him these smiles, they're shy and amused like Rick knows the sercert Daryl is hiding.

Daryl begins to worry that Rick really does know, that he can see it in his eyes. One day Michonne sneaks up on him while he's watching Rick bent over and picking tomatoes. He's supposed to be picking to but can you blame a guy for staring at the art work that is Rick's ass in dirt covered jeans. Michonne whispers in his ear and then is gone as quick as she arrived leaving nothing behind but the words " He doesn't know but he should, love is a risk, Daryl, but it is one worth taking."

Daryl had always planned to die alone but that was back before the dead started walking. Back before Merle had done the right thing and then died. Back when he watched Love destroy his young vibrant mother but now, now he's got a family to protect from something other than themselves.

He's got a family that loves and cares for all its members, even the runt of the litter with too much of his mother's soft side. He's got a family he doesn't have to hide from; he doesn't have to put up all this tough guy bravado all day. Now, in this world where everything is a risk, love was no longer the greatest one. So a few days later he goes on watch with Rick, there is a full moon in the sky and Rick has a gentle smile on his lips as he watches over the grounds. Daryl sucks in a deep breath and takes what he thinks may be the biggest challenge of his life.

" Rick? " Daryl hears his own voice. It seems to loud for such a quiet night.

" Hmm? " rick hums out.

" I need to tell you something man. " Daryl is trying not to swallow his own tongue at this point.

Rick stands up straight and looks at Daryl concern flashes in his eyes as he speaks, " You can tell me anythin' Daryl. "

Daryl glances up at the stars and does something he hasn't done since he was a small child, he wishes on a star, " I won't blame ya if ya don't want nothin' ta do with me after this but i need ta tell ya. I need ya ta know that if anything happens to me, that you were loved. " Daryl pauses for a moment before looking Rick in the eyes and saying, " I've fallen in love with you, Rick Grimes, and that scares the shit outta me but I'm a Dixon and we know which risk to take and when to play it safe. And you, officer friendly are worth every risk in the book. "

Daryl is breathing shallowly, his heart feels as if it's going to break through his rib cage. Rick is just staring at him not saying anythin' and suddenly Daryl is wondering what he thought he was doing. " Rick is straight, he was married and has two kids, and then he thinks Oh fuck, his wife just died of course he doesn't wanna hear this, I'm a fuck up of a friend and oh!" Daryl's brain slams to a halt because suddenly Rick's hands are tangled in his hair and his mouth is firm and passionate on Daryl's.

Daryl isn't sure how long they're wrapped up in one another, but by the time they pull apart they're both gasping for breath. Rick catches his breath first and is soon smiling at Daryl, it's that soft smile, the one that started all of this and suddenly even before rick says it, Daryl knows that smile means " I love you, too. ".

**Author's Note:**

> feel free to send me prompts on tumblr at gekkyandkind


End file.
